It’s an okay film at best but, like a Tortino’s pizza, it can satisfy you at the right time. I was also amazed at how detailed and complete your review is. I think, another example of how hooked you can get given the right plot device.

If Liam had done as well as a Jedi, that would have been a more bearable film as well.

Kudos to you.

As to The 13th Warrior, I saw it eons ago when it was in the theater, and remember digging some of the battle scenes quite a bit. I don’t recall that bit of dialogue you mention, but I do recall thinking that, apart from a few stirring bits, the film was a steaming pile.

“There is a moment in the film that encapsulates the thrill that Taken offers, a moment so deliciously realized that even the marketing team couldn’t pass it up. Mills’ daughter contacts him by phone when masked men enter her apartment, and after she is taken, he has one chance to speak to her kidnapper: “I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don’t have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career; skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that’ll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don’t, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you.” This is a one-note role for Neeson, who’s done much richer work before (Kinsey, Rob Roy, Schindler’s List), but he sells the conviction of that one line so fully that it is impossible to look away. Taken, in a nutshell, is that one line and the fulfillment of its promise. Watch the trailer. If you get chills as Neeson calmly delivers his ultimatum, then run to the theater; you will not be disappointed”

I include this section of the review because, interstingly enough, my firend Kim and I had this conversation last night. She argued that one good scene in an otherwise shabby film could save said stinker from a bad review and even regulate it onto a must see repeatedly list. To which, I agree. She mentionED the library scene in “Atonement” as an example of such a film.

I picked “The 13th Warrior” which I have always regarded as the ultimate guy film and gave the following reason:

“I am a big fan of “The 13th Warrior” which I have no doubt you never saw. Don’t bother, it’s a guy movie and most of them hate it. Rather mundane, Antonio Banderas is the only star. Lots of swords, dirt, sweat, horses and blood. If it were a western it would be called an “oater” back in the day.

But at the final battle, there is a scene when the Vikings recite their death poem:

“Lo, there do I see my father. Lo, there do I see my mother, and my sisters, and my brothers.
Lo, there do I see the line of my people back to the beginning. Lo they do call to me. They bid me take my place among them in the halls of Valhalla where the brave may live forever.”

The film is not at all a good one but seeing those warriors, standing in the rain and knowing that their death is upon them, steel themselves for it and you can see the resolve in their eyes and they chant. You gotta dig that. I mean, who hasn’t stood at some point in their life, knowing you face an inevitable and a passage of Scipture or epic poem or old saying flits thru your mind? We’ve all done it and been the better for it.

I liked “Taken” alot but didn’t realize that I went to see it mainly because of that bit of dialog. That sets the tone for the film and we all sat and waited for the comeuppence that the bad guys were surely going to endure for their error. As unbelievable as the circumstances that the damsels-in-distress find themselves in was, I could totally see myself going overseas and finding some street rat to pound senseless until he gave up the name of my villian.

And that’s what I want in a film, something to believe in. So, if you will, go tell Tom Cruise that is why I see so few of his films. Like the Easter Bunny, I just seldom believe in him on film.

Great review, Evan. Thanks so much for it.

And Rick, if only torture had been this much fun under the Bush administration! Water boarding can’t hold a candle to Neeson sending 2000 volts through some poor Albanian!

Did I blink?

I mean, a FREEDOM film!

U.S.A.!!! U.S.A.!!!

“Extensive torture sessions”: looks like it was made for the “24″ (or the Bush administration) crowd.

Also, in the first act I thought they might have been laying it on a little thick (ok, slathering) about how he felt about his daughter with plenty of reaction shots to him looking at pictures of her, etc…

…but for me, I think it totally made the ending of the movie hammer home. I’m not sure if I would have gotten as emotionally attached to him if they hadn’t overdone it (it’s such a short movie anyway).

Lastly, I’m glad Maggie Grace played the daughter that way… it helped me forget how annoying I thought her character was on Lost (one who I would only halfheartedly cheer Liam Neeson on for trying to rescue…)

And that’s awesome, Ryan (first-person shooter with the invincibility code on – wish I had thought of that one). Glad you and the wifey enjoyed it.

This movie felt like playing a first person shooter with the invincibility code on, which was something I would tend to do in college and got the same ‘righteous anger’ quenched.

Overall, I would say it wasn’t deep, but very primal, and it carried out its promise in spades. And yes, there was a lot of audible cheering (went for a 9:15 showing and found it sold out and waited for the mostly full 10:25 show).

Taken is a slice of fallacious justice for the injustices of the world.

The DVD and Blu-ray for Taken are already out in Europe in an extended cut. Its time to get multi-region DVD player folks. I’ve had this film since last July.

“After the day’s tragic avalanche of internet headlines and bobble-headed pundits and evening news zingers (”Child found decapitated! More at 11!”), you just want to see Evil receive its righteous comeuppance.”

Amen to that Evan. Edgewater multiplex, here I come. Great review, I hung with every word.

Neeson was, indeed, very impressive here. How old is the guy and he’s doing almost all of his own stunts?

I’m glad Neeson was able to use some of the martial arts knowledge he attained for Batman Begins again.

*SPOILERS*

I found the brutal executions of the final masterminds much more gratifying than the act of saving the daughter. Put another way, I didn’t care whether or not she died as long as Neeson dished out enough punishment.

And on Leon, wouldn’t it be more accurate to say that Leon and the girl’s relationship is primarily a romantic one? (have you seen the director’s cut of the film?) Leon is essentially a man-child, and the girl is wise beyond her years, making them an equal match emotionally. For some that was creepy, but I found it sweet. I think that you could argue for that perspective on the relationship more effectively than that it was a father/daughter one.

Actually, I enjoyed the film quite a bit, but I saw Taken as a character-driven tale of a man’s love for his daughter first and foremost–which I think is good. For one thing, it results in a more emotionally involving experience than, say, the Bourne movies. And there was an artful delicacy to it that is lacking in most action movies these days. Ah, the French.

Luke, I find your point interesting. I believe the film was espousing a casuist perspective on the problem. I found this refreshing, although I’m unsure of whether or not the filmmakers intended this. That said, Besson as producer had to have been a positive influence, as this film was–like Leon–driven primarily by its central relationship… and in each case it is a father figure/daughter figure relationship… more to come in my review later…

What was interesting to me was that it was, as you say, a fantasy about good winning unequivocally over evil; but at the same time it didn’t seem overly concerned about the fate of the kidnapped sex slaves that weren’t Neeson’s daughter. In other words, it was more than happy to heap their bodies on the pile in the name of giving its hero a formidable enemy. Is that a bit a gritty realism, or a failure to complete the good-guys-win fantasy?

And Alexander, thanks for the correction – duly noted. Reading between the lines on your comment, it sounds like you probably don’t entirely share my enthusiasm for this particular slice of revenge fantasy fluff. I’ll look forward to your review.

I agree with you wholly about Liam Neeson’s conviction in this role.

One correction: the gang of human traffickers are Albanian.

I ended up seeing this with about 10 other guys on Saturday night after we talked. It was a blast to be sitting next to your friends and share those “Seriously, did he just do that?” moments. Good review, I think you summed it up quite nicely.